Verifying the accuracy of online reports and social media content is often either impossible or highly time-consuming, say researchers at the University of Warmia and Mazury (UWM) in Olsztyn, northeastern Poland.
Their findings are part of an international study led by the university’s Institute of Political Science and funded by Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs under its Public Diplomacy program.
Prof. Arkadiusz Żukowski, the director of UWM’s Institute of Political Science, highlighted the rapid and global spread of information in today’s world, which makes distinguishing between accurate news and disinformation increasingly difficult.
He described disinformation as the distortion of facts, often presented incomplete or out of context.
Żukowski noted the high potential of such "information" to influence public perceptions through manipulation.
Krzysztof Żęgota, another researcher involved in the project, defined disinformation as misleading content designed to serve political or economic agendas, often at the expense of democratic systems.
According to him, disinformation thrives online, especially on social media platforms, where verification mechanisms are harder to implement.
He also noted the growing role of artificial intelligence technologies in amplifying disinformation.
The study found that students and young people are particularly at risk. The majority of young Poles rely on the internet and social media for news, often bypassing traditional media such as television and print newspapers.
This lack of exposure to verified news sources, combined with underdeveloped critical thinking skills, makes them prime targets for disinformation campaigns, Żęgota said.
"Our research showed that 95 percent of young people surveyed cited the internet as their main source of information," he added. "While they are aware of disinformation as a problem, they still face challenges in identifying and combating it effectively."
The UWM-led study aimed to enhance young people’s awareness of disinformation, improve their media literacy, and promote critical thinking.
The project included cooperation with academic institutions in the Baltic states, such as universities in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and resulted in joint research, workshops and a youth roundtable.
The researchers emphasized that while Poland is exposed to Russian propaganda—especially regarding the war in Ukraine—the country’s historical, cultural, and linguistic context makes it less vulnerable than its Baltic neighbors, which have significant Russian-speaking minorities and broad access to Russian-language media.
Key outcomes of the project include recommendations for integrating disinformation education into the school systems of participating countries.
These findings will be published in an English-language volume titled Public Diplomacy: Education of the Society on Disinformation—Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, edited by Żukowski.
A long-term goal of the project is to foster international collaboration in countering disinformation and strengthening public diplomacy efforts.
The researchers plan to continue their work, focusing on both public education and further academic studies on the topic.
(rt/gs)
Source: naukawpolsce.pl